The Perfect Clone Read Online Free PDF

me so much of my wife. Where is Helen?”
    Helen’s name lingered in the room. “Oh never mind, she’s probably tending to the other guests. Such a proper host my wife is. If you see her, please tell her that I need to talk with her. The car needs to be put in the shop.”
    He hadn’t driven in years and she was almost 28. Feeling a lump gather in her throat, Laura ran to the upstairs bathroom, wiping at the tears as they streamed down her face. This was it. It had finally happened. Her father had forgotten her. All the preparation in the world had not equipped her for this.
    Roger followed Laura upstairs and took her in his arms and held on tightly, until she was able to calm herself.
    “Why now? Why on this special day?” The words choked on the bile at the back of her throat.
    “Alzheimer doesn’t schedule days that work best for its victims Laura, you know that.”
    “I just wanted more time.” Laura plopped down on the toilet lid, covering her face with her hands in the hope that it would erase what had just happened.
    “More time to do what?” The sternness in his voice caused Laura to lift her head. She glared at him in disbelief. Laura opened her mouth to argue but nothing came out.
    Roger leaned against the bathroom counter and bent his head in frustration. A moment passed as two friends stood on the brink of helplessness.
    “Laura, you want more time to do what? Continue torturing yourself with worry, waiting for this day to happen? It’s happening. Right here, right now, on this day.”
    Turning to face the sink counter, he picked up the tissue box and handed it to her. “I know it’s not easy to hear, but you’ve got to pull yourself together for your father’s sake. He’s going to need you now more than ever. You’ll have time to worry about you, after he’s gone.”
    Laura blew her nose into the tissue. Roger had become her rock. He was sound, sturdy, and infuriatingly logical. Twisting the tissue back and forth between her fingers she could only nod her head up and down as their eyes remained locked in a battle of wills. Minutes passed. Sometimes words couldn’t serve the same justice to emotions that silence did.
    “You’re right. It’s time to put on the big girl panties and pretend to be the mountain of strength that I’m not.”
    “Who are you kidding?” Roger teased. “Your picture is in the dictionary next to the word, falsified strength.” 
    A soggy giggle rumbled deep in Laura’s chest. Roger had a way of turning everything into an acceptable situation. “That’s two words Roger.”
    “Two words to describe one complicated moment in time. Remind me to send Webster an email.”
    “I’m not ready to lose him Roger. He’s the only family I have.”
    In a horrible theatric act of pain, Roger dabbed at his eyes and sniffled as if he were going to cry. “So what am I, chopped liver?”
    “No, you’re just a pathetic actor.” 
    “Thank ya—thank ya very much,” Roger drawled out in his feeble attempt at an Elvis impersonation. “Besides, I can’t be too bad, you‘ve stopped crying.”
    Laura smiled. She could always count on Roger to cheer her up. “I must look horrible.”
    “
You
…look horrible? Never! You look slightly delusional maybe, but never horrible.”
    “Is my photo next to that word as well?”
    “Nope, that would be my photo. Stop trying to hog all the good words, would you?”
    That earned a hearty laugh. “I’ll remember you said it first. Ok, give me five minutes and I’ll be out to keep the party goers in line. Thank you, Roger.”
    He nodded his head in acknowledgement then turned the knob to let himself out. He walked into the hallway and softly closed the door as he left.
    Laura could hear the guests arriving downstairs. Sending up a quick ‘thank you’ to the creators of waterproof mascara, she dabbed the tears from her eyes, squared her shoulders, and walked away from the crime scene fully intact.
    Descending the stairs, she could